


Catch up

by AurigaVenatici (p_3a), Kilieit (p_3a)



Series: My Warrior Of Light Screws All The Cute Ones [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Biting, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Oral Sex, Penis In Vagina Sex, Polyamorous Character, Simultaneous Orgasm, Teasing, bisexual thancred, patch 2.1: a realm awoken, switch thancred
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-23
Updated: 2016-05-23
Packaged: 2018-05-22 21:27:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6094513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/p_3a/pseuds/AurigaVenatici, https://archiveofourown.org/users/p_3a/pseuds/Kilieit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Minfilia sets up her older brother to resolve his tension with one of the two Warriors of Light.</p><p>Set immediately after the move to the Rising Stones.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Recommended pre-reading: http://kilieit.tumblr.com/aghurlal  
> Optional pre-reading: http://kilieit.tumblr.com/tagged/aghurlal-qarakimusun-journal/chrono
> 
> Chapter 1 is rated Teen.  
> Chapter 2 is rated Explicit.
> 
> S/o to tumblr user dualscar for playing Shirogawa Mitsuhiko (a Raen ♂ WoL who works in a pair with Aghurlal), tumblr user jace-hunter for helping me with a plot device, and tumblr user tonberrydelights for encouraging me to actually write this

There was something else.

Everything should have been fine, by now. The Scions of the Seventh Dawn had successfully completed their move to the Rising Stones in Mor Dhona. Aghurlal Qar-aKimusum, an Auri Warrior of Light, and his partner in most things Shirogawa Mitsuhiko, had assisted gladly with the move; now their work was done, and everyone was settled in safely.

Except there was something else that wasn't quite settled. One Scion in particular was still grating on Aghurlal in a way he couldn't quite describe: Thancred. They were close when they first met, all the way back in Thanalan; they'd worked together exceptionally well during the campaign against the Amalj'aa kidnappings, and they'd shared many an evening together in a tavern after the day's work was done.

Only… then Thancred hadn't been there when Aghurlal had confronted Ifrit. Aghurlal had been badly burned as a result, even if he had resisted tempering, and Thancred's guilt seemed to drive him away. Things were never the same, after that - between Lahabrea's machinations and the increasing pressure of the Garlean empire, it was months before Aghurlal truly got to see the hyuran… bard (apparently, although Aghurlal had always thought his abilities were closer to that taught by a certain faction of Sisters in Limsa Lominsa) again.

He'd remained distant, even then. It seemed Thancred didn't like being made to feel as though he weren't the hero of a given situation - he skirted away from anything that might made him seem vulnerable. All Aghurlal wanted to do was let him know he didn't look down on him, yet he couldn't even get him to stay long enough for _that_. Thancred had seemed to grasp that pushing himself past his limits had lead him into darkness in the past; surely he could understand that isolating himself was part of the problem, as well?

It seemed he wasn't the only one who had noticed Thancred's unusually quiet behaviour - because one day, he was called into the Solar.

"There's a package currently in Tataru's care which must be delivered to Saint Conach's Find," Minfilia said, stood as always behind her desk. Her manner, however, was far less serious than usual - rather than her hands being placed dramatically on the desk itself, or reservedly crossed over her stomach, they were resting almost casually on her hips. "I would entrust it to a carrier, but the road is dangerous and the contents of the package are highly volatile. In addition, they're vital to the Sons' research on our behalf, so I need someone I know will take utmost care."

At that moment, the doors to the Solar opened once more. Aghurlal turned to see who it was.  
Minfilia smiled. "I know you're used to travelling in a pair. As Shirogawa is currently in Gridania with Yda and Papalymo, Thancred will be accompanying you. I hope that's alright."

Aghurlal looked between his Antecedent and Thancred, then… simply nodded.

Thancred spoke, though. "Subtlety was never your strong point," he said, to Minfilia. Aghurlal turned to hear her response, but she simply inclined her head. "Tataru has your parcel," she said. "Now don't be late!"

And that was that.

It wasn't exactly a dour silence, as they collected the unsuspecting parcel from Tataru and began to make their way through the streets of Revenant's Toll and out onto the eastern road. But neither was it the easy, flowing banter they'd shared during their first meetings together. It halted and stopped and started again, leaving gaps and faux pas where there should have been understanding. Maybe they'd spent too long away from each other, after all. Both of them knew Minfilia had set them up on this mission for a reason. Neither was sure he was entirely comfortable with that.

Yet they weren't a malm and a half down the road when suddenly, a robed Miqo'te rushed up the path to meet them. "Sirs! You mustn't go any further!"  
Aghurlal raised his eyebrow, and looked to Thancred to speak. After all, when it was him and Shirogawa, he was by far the less diplomatic of the two - he mostly left the _speaking with strangers_ to his companion.  
Thancred caught on, after a moment, and turned to the Miqo'te. "...Why not, good sir?"  
The breathless scholar paused for a second, still holding his hand up in a gesture of halting. "Up ahead, it's not safe! Rampaging Gigas caused an instability in the structure of the ground underfoot and all around. There could be a cliff collapse, or the very earth beneath your feet could give way into the lake at nary a moment's notice! You must stay here until the area is secured!"  
"Well, my companion here is quite accomplished in battlecraft--"  
"With all due respect," the poor Miqo'te panted, "it's not about the Gigas themselves, it's about the damage they've already caused. Until my colleagues and I can determine that it's safe to proceed, you really must stay here, or return to Revenant's Toll! My deepest apologies!"

A voice called out from around the corner, and the man took off again, still gesturing in desperation for them to stay where they were.

"...well," Thancred said. "That puts rather the thorn in the path of dear Minfilia's little match-making plans."  
"Don't be rude about her," Aghurlal said flatly - immediately self-conscious of his harsh words, and aware of why he had left Thancred to talk to the scholar.  
Thancred looked up at him. "I'm not." Then sighed forcefully. "We can't very well make the rest of the trip now, not with such volatile cargo. Either we turn back, or we camp here until our Miqo'te friend comes to give us the all-clear. Which, if I know anything about the sort of magic he was referring to, could be hours. We're only a bell's walk down the road…"  
"...but it's only a half-bell walk the rest of the way _anyroad_ ," Aghurlal pointed out. "Regardless, we're going to have to wait until their magic is complete. We may as well ensure we're doing it somewhere they can actually _tell us_ when it's done."  
"You have a point, my man. Do you have a tent, as well?"  
"I'm Xaela," he said, pointedly dropping his backpack on the ground. "I _always_ have a tent."

Travel-kettle boiled and tent pitched, the men retreated into its confines with a mug of hot tea in each pair of hands. And - as Aghurlal had learned over the years - people of all sorts were wont to do when trapped in each other's company, they began to talk. Properly, this time; the pressure of their forced arrangement slowly easing as the sun sunk low over the lake. And, sure enough, the topic soon turned to their respective loves.

"It's strange," Aghurlal was saying. "I've known Shirogawa for almost two summers, now, yet he continues to surprise me every day we spend together. I can't say I've ever really expected to have a relationship like this."  
Thancred toyed with his now-empty travel mug, tossing it from hand to hand. "No? Is this that _true love_ I hear so much about?" His words could be derisive, easily, but Aghurlal saw the smirk on Thancred's face and knew them for the light-hearted teasing they were.  
"You've certainly heard more than me," Aghurlal snorted. "These Eorzeans have a strange view on everything. Love, food, money, life and death, gods and monsters. So I know not much of Eorzea's _true love_ , no. Although I know that I wish to be with Shirogawa for all the time I can imagine."  
"Sounds about right," said Thancred, poking his head out of the tent to check if there was more tea.  
"I've even thought about getting some of those promise bracelets, you know? Ah, well… I suppose not, since you've not been to Gridania. There's a chapel there, where they put couples before the Twelve to declare their eternal bond. Shirogawa said he wanted to do it."  
"Isn't that restricting?" said Thancred, muffled by the tent-flap as he poured hot water into his cup. "I thought you were all about freedom, from the way you talk."  
Aghurlal wrinkled his nose. "Shirogawa doesn't seek to restrict my _freedom_. Why, I'm able to go wherever I please, and be with whomever I please. It's a far cry from what I knew on Othard, but… well. There is a reason I've stayed in Eorzea for so long, is there not?"  
"What, and not my charming good looks?" Thancred returned to his seat, sealing up the tent flap and grinning at Aghurlal.  
"Well, that, and Shirogawa. We get along marvellously both in conversation and in battle, he's sweet-hearted and kind… and he doesn't ask undue sacrifices of my person. I can't think of a better candidate for any _eternal bond_ , as of the moment."

Aghurlal downed the rest of his by-now cold tea, then turned his sharp red eyes on Thancred. "What of you? I know you always have one beauty or another in your sights."  
"Ah, well…" Thancred made a dismissive gesture, but he was smiling into his drink. "Nothing that's going anywhere, I assure you."  
"Ah! But I shared mine with you." Aghurlal leaned over and pushed Thancred's shoulder just lightly, enough to be felt without pushing the slight Hyur over. "It's only fair."  
Thancred laughed and brushed off his shoulder with his free hand. "I do have my eye on one fair damsel… her radiant beauty has long held my eye, yet I am unsure if she would reciprocate my advances. I hope to ascertain from the shadows if she likes me, and then formulate a plan to woo her over to my side…"  
"F'lhaminn, is it not?"  
Thancred did a double-take. "Wh-- Oh! Am I really so obvious?!" His usually pale cheeks flushed a sweet shade of cherry-pink. "I had thought to have at least a little subtlety about me…"  
"Alphinaud already told me, I'm afraid."  
"Ah!" Thancred snapped his fingers in mock-frustration. "That boy must be jealous of my air of mystery, and seek to destroy it."  
Aghurlal laughed. "My dear friend, I'm quite afraid there's nothing left for him to ruin, in that department. You aren't exactly a _paragon of secrecy_ yourself."  
"Ah," said Thancred again - but this time, it was considerably less buoyant in tone.

Oh. A sore spot, then.

Aghurlal watched Thancred's shoulders drop, and his own heart with it. It pained him to see the man so easily tending to melancholy, but what could he do about it when any attempt at comfort was brushed off? He frowned a little, thinking - then reached over to rest a hand on Thancred's arm.  
"Listen," Aghurlal said, quietly now. "I don't believe you need any, ah, _air of mystery_ in order to be attractive. Certainly, what I always liked about you was your forthrightness, bravery, and humour - not your unattainability."  
Thancred raised an eyebrow, though his shoulders stayed down. "I'm not _unattainable_ , am I?"  
"Ah… ha, well. A little bit, to me. You always seem to make yourself scarce."  
Thancred held Aghurlal's gaze for a few moments… then looked away, pursing his lips a little before raising the mug to them in effort to hide his face.

Aghurlal was about to apologise, and make yet another comment about why he usually let Shirogawa do the talking, when suddenly Thancred piped up. "I suppose I have another thing to apologise for, then. Besides…"  
"No!" Aghurlal drew himself up. "I don't want an apology. I just want _you_!"

His words hung in the air.

Thancred looked up at him again, his eyes wide now - cheeks, and now ears too, flushed with colour.  
"Oh--" Aghurlal felt his own cheeks heating. "Well-- yes, I-- _Yes_. But-- Yes. I also meant I just-- _I just want to be friends_! Alphinaud mentioned something else, being, as that, ah, you're not really-- _interested in_ men, so--"

To Aghurlal's initial relief, and then bemusement, Thancred… _laughed_. It wasn't a raucous sound so much as a gentle, genuinely amused one - which confused Aghurlal all the more. If Thancred hadn't found humour in some foolish mistake that Aghurlal had made, then what..?

The Hyur quietly set his cup down, neatened his hair, and straightened his clothing just a little. Aghurlal watched.

"Alphinaud is a precocious child," Thancred eventually said. "Yet... overconfident, at times. He doesn't know as much about me as he thinks he does. For how can he possibly know something about me of which I, myself, am not certain?"

Aghurlal took a moment to consider. "...explain?" he asked, not wanting to jump to any particular conclusion.  
Thancred sighed slightly, but it was obvious his frustration was not with Aghurlal. "It's difficult to speak frankly of something I hid from myself for so very long," he admitted. "But I will endeavour to try, for your sake. I have already put you through much."  
"You _really_ needn't keep apologising," Aghurlal repeated.  
Thancred waved a hand almost dismissively. "Perhaps I do need to apologise, but not to you most of all. No… since I was a boy no older than Alphinaud is now, I suppose I've been denying that about myself. Twelve know I've hurt some people in doing so. I always sought to run away from it. But I can't do that now. Not with you and Shirogawa and I all so pivotal to the realm's fate, and with you held so fondly in Minfilia's eyes."  
Aghurlal offered a small, muted smile. "You've still done your best to run away, despite that."  
"May I make up for it?"

Aghurlal blinked. "Excuse me?"  
"May I make up for trying to run away from you?"  
"What do you mean?"

Quietly, Thancred knelt up from his seated position and leaned over. Aghurlal was suddenly self-conscious of how small the tent was. One simple gesture, and Thancred was close, very close; his leg resting against Aghurlal's knee and his hand coming to sit firmly on his shoulder. Thancred's eyes caught the lamplight - a beautiful, multi-faceted shade of hazel, they were, and looking right into Aghurlal's own. And his scent, too… always present, but never so strongly as it was at this moment. Aghurlal felt his own mouth drop open slightly.

Then Thancred kissed him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated Explicit.
> 
> Thancred is a cis man; Aghurlal is a trans man.

It was tentative, at first. As Aghurlal slowly placed his hand on Thancred's shoulder, and pulled him closer. As Thancred worked out how he could turn his head, so's to press their lips together, but without hurting himself on Aghurlal's pointed horns. And Aghurlal wasn't sure what changed about it, but all at once they were  _ all over one another  _ \- Thancred was in his lap, clutching at his shoulders wtih both hands like he intended to never let go; Aghurlal wrapped his arms around the slight Hyur and  _ hugged _ , learning in one moment exactly how tiny he was. His horns caught the sound of his rapid heartbeat; every sharp breath in his throat. Was he… was he  _ crying _ ? Aghurlal tried to pull back to check, only to find a lump rising in his own throat. Ah… maybe he was. But at least they could both do it together, now.

This had been… a long time coming. Two summers' worth, almost. As Aghurlal felt Thancred's fingers explore the delicate scales on his neck, he remembered the way Thancred had looked at him even the first time they ever met - brazen eye contact and a confident smirk, but eyes slightly dilated even in the desert sun, cheeks just slightly pink in a way Aghurlal hadn't noticed until later. Thancred's hands worked lower and stroked Aghurlal's armoured sides, and Aghurlal recalled how close he, at least, had been to confessing during those distraught moments after some awful disaster - Ifrit, Ultima… and every time, things had ended awfully. Not this time.

Thancred only pulled back once the both of them were breathless, Aghurlal's tail lifting itself periodically from its resting position on the groundsheet. He almost leaned in for another kiss there and then - but Thancred stopped him.   
"What's wrong?"   
"Aghurlal, there is nothing wrong at  _ all _ ." A smile tugged at his flushed lips. "I simply wanted to know how far you wanted to take this."   
Aghurlal watched Thancred's eyes as he thought best how to word his response. "How far is it safe to?" he finally said. "For all Shirogawa has permitted me this manner of indulgence, I assume he means without bringing home anything…  _ untoward _ on any part of my person."   
Thancred laughed softly, stroking the scales on Aghurlal's cheek. "My dear, even if I wasn't as careful as I am, we are Scions of the Seventh Dawn. I have my choice of chirurgeons, as do you. I promise on my honour that you have nothing to fear from an encounter with me."   
"Your  _ honour _ ?" Aghurlal repeated, smirking.   
Thancred laughed and playfully pushed at him. "Do  _ not _ begin, my friend."

There was a moment of contented silence, as they both caught the other's eye again; Aghurlal leaned in and kissed Thancred's cheek. He was soft, and his hair smelt very pleasant indeed. Thancred shuffled closer, pressing his hips against Aghurlal's stomach, and-- in a disorientatingly arousing moment, Aghurlal realised he could feel something hard through the man's trousers.  _ Oh. _

Thancred didn't miss the Au Ra's sudden hitch in breath. He placed his arms around Aghurlal's shoulders, settled his hips firmly against his stomach, and whispered against his horn. "Now, I do hope you won't mind if I take a little while to…  _ adjust _ to what I'm doing. I'm not ashamed to admit you're the first gentleman who's caught my attention quite so."   
"Really, now?" Aghurlal stroked his back, tilting his head to rest his lips against Thancred's neck. The small man shivered almost imperceptibly. "I don't know if I believe that, but I don't think it shall take you as long as you believe it will…"   
"Quite right you are. It's all a matter of paying attention to what your partner enjoys, isn't it? And to pay attention to  _ you _ will be my pleasure. We Sharlayan scholars  _ are _ notoriously quick learners, after all."

Thancred pulled back to smile at Aghurlal; he mustn't have missed the nerves creeping into Aghurlal's expression, because rather than making another rock of his hips or some adequately lewd flirt, he simply stroked Aghurlal's cheek. "Now… would you like to begin, or shall we keep it at this pace for a measure longer? I'll certainly enjoy myself either way, if that's a concern."   
"No, let's…" Aghurlal licked his own lips. "Let's begin."

He started to remove his armour. It wasn't that he was having second thoughts - more… well. Asides from the multitude of scars across his body which Thancred would no doubt see as his own fault, both from Ifrit and Lahabrea, Aghurlal wasn't confident that Thancred had ever seen an Au Ra undressed before. Despite appearing Hyur-like for the most part with clothes on, the similarities ended once one's body was exposed. He knew Eorzeans had different expectations of gender, too, than had the tribe Aghurlal had grown up in; whether Thancred would raise comment on such seeming anomalies in his appearance gave Aghurlal no small cause for concern.

Yet the only thing that made Thancred pause was the scar on Aghurlal's shoulder. Aghurlal didn't miss the way his face fell on seeing it. They both remembered it having been inflicted - it had been at Castrum Meridianum. Aghurlal had thrust his spear at Thancred, meaning to kill him. Yet he'd faultered at the last moment - and the Ascian Lahabrea, inhabiting Thancred's body at the time, had taken advantage of this to inflict the injury. It was an ugly, permanent, purple-black blemish on Aghurlal's otherwise rich brown skin; a reminder of a moment they were both deeply ashamed of.

Thancred smiled sheepishly - defensively. "Ah. Yes."   
"It doesn't hurt," said Aghurlal softly. "It's just a blemish." Catching the back of Thancred's head gently, he pulled him into a quiet kiss.

They stayed like that for a while, in fact - the tension slowly ebbing out of Thancred's posture again, and Aghurlal finding himself calming in kind. They both had things to hide, here; and things to show. The most important thing was, as it had always been, that they were doing it  _ together _ .

And then Thancred moved to kiss Aghurlal's cheek, then his jaw - all down his collarbone, then coming up to press his tongue against his neck. Oh--  _ oh _ ; they were back in business, then… Aghurlal let himself shiver, licking his lips and hugging Thancred close.

"You seem like a biting type," Thancred murmured, his voice confident this time. "Drawing blood, or less than that?"   
"Ahh… blood is fine, but perhaps best avoided on our first time, no?"   
Thancred laughed, and Aghurlal was struck once again by how handsome he was. "Very well."

He nibbled his neck a few times, then bit  _ hard _ in just the right place. Aghurlal saw stars. Thancred didn't miss the way the Au Ra's body stiffened, so he asked him if he was alright; all Aghurlal could do was  _ nod _ , emphatically, and tilt his head up to give Thancred more room to work.

Which he did. Aghurlal's neck would be covered in bruises by the end of this, and he didn't care. He was glad.  _ Proud. _ He only hoped he could return the favour to Thancred somehow, if not necessarily in kind.

"Where else do you like?" Thancred asked again, nuzzling at one of the bitemarks and earning himself a gasp. "Do you like your chest touched, hmm?" His hand rest on Aghurlal's ribcage, just to the side of his fair-sized breast.   
"Not-- usually, but the base of my tail feels good…"   
"Mmm, really now." Thancred grinned, slipping a hand behind Aghurlal to touch at just that very spot. "That's something I wouldn't have guessed, to be fair." It took him a few moments to get the motions right - it couldn't be too gentle, or Aghurlal wouldn't feel it through his scales - but once he did, Aghurlal was practically rocking against him for want of more.

He was aware that, thus far, Thancred had been doing an awful lot for him, and not much the other way around. But perhaps that was how Thancred liked it? He'd have to investigate, he supposed. For now, this was pleasant enough for the both of them.

Thancred's hands gradually strayed further down until he was tugging questioningly at the catches on Aghurlal's trousers. Aghurlal shifting positions to lie down was answer enough, and moments later they were both prone on the groundsheet of the tent, Thancred settling down comfortably between Aghurlal's legs and Aghurlal's tail winding itself around the Hyur's comparitively slender shoulder.

And Aghurlal didn't know what he'd been afraid for. He'd expected Thancred to look at him like he was a puzzle, an anomaly - but the look on his face was more akin to such when regarding a wonderful landscape one was yet to explore, or some foreign delicacy which one was about to try. Aghurlal was sure Thancred would describe it that way later, too; ridiculous poet as he was. He felt the scales around his entrance flare open in eager anticipation.

From between his legs, Thancred looked up at Aghurlal and  _ beamed _ . "Are you ready, my dear?"   
"I faced down the Ultima Weapon," Aghurlal smirked back, propping himself up on his elbows. "What makes you think--"

And then Aghurlal heard himself cut off by a  _ moan _ as Thancred pressed his hot tongue against him, bringing both hands up to rest on the insides of Aghurlal's thighs. Aghurlal trembled hard until Thancred pulled back, giving him a moment to breathe; the fingertips of one of his hands stroked gently either side of Aghurlal's slit. "Mm," he murmured quietly, "you still show your arousal as an Eorzean would, so perhaps you were right that I shan't have to learn much…" He examined Aghurlal again, and Aghurlal watched his face. The way his eyes lidded themselves in arousal, and his lips parted even as he was thinking. Then he asked, "does this feel good, by any chance?" and dove back in - to press the tip of his tongue determinedly against Aghurlal's most sensitive spot.

He cried out loudly enough that he feared the researchers over the ridge might have heard.

Thancred alternated between specific, determined attention against that singular wonderful spot, and more general laps across the entirety of Aghurlal's scaled slit. Aghurlal could feel himself gradually growing closer to peak with each wave of actions; each time Thancred shifted from full-on to teasing and back. Only, as things went on, the teasing seemed  _ more _ teasing, and the full-on seemed less so; and Aghurlal found himself keening and reaching for Thancred's hair.

He tugged  _ sharply _ , and earned himself a loud and seemingly involuntary groan from Thancred. Ah… now  _ that _ seemed like they might be getting somewhere.   
"Hurry up," Aghurlal said simply.   
"Ah," Thancred said; but he was panting now, leaning affectionately into where Aghurlal was gripping his hair. "You're ever impatient, aren't you?"   
Aghurlal licked his lips. "I don't think I need to answer that."

He pushed Thancred upright and started to undress him. "So I take it you like being thrown around?" he asked offhandedly as he untied his belt.   
"Somewhat," Thancred admitted, laughing sheepishly.   
"It's not exactly a surprise, my friend. After all, I've been paying close attention to your taste in women - they're all very, ah." He glanced up at Thancred's face; he was blushing, looking away. "Fiery."   
"That they are. As are you, dear friend." Thancred looked back up at Aghurlal, his hazel eyes bright with affection. "If permission was what you were after, then… yes, you have it."   
"Good." Aghurlal tangled his fingers in Thancred's hair again and brought him in for a deep, rough kiss.

It didn't last long. He had something else he wanted to see, after all. He and Thancred shifted together, Aghurlal tugged his trousers down, and then pulled back, wanting to see, to touch--

"--oh! It's so--"   
Thancred laughed. "Don't sound so surprised, my dear. You'll make me nervous."   
"Sorry! Ah… it's simply... " Aghurlal reached down, bringing two light fingertips to stroke at the length. It was modest in size and in decoration - no more than a simple protrustion of flesh, barely longer than Aghurlal's fist was wide and certainly not more than the width of three of his fingers together. But it looked… cute, and the velvety texture that greeted Aghurlal's touch only confirmed that assessment. "It's soft…"   
"Why, are Auri cocks not..?" He sounded just a little breathless.   
"No, they're sort of slimy." Aghurlal laughed.

Then took Thancred in hand to gently fondle his length. He slipped his hand down further towards the base, and suddenly there was more of it - fearful he was hurting Thancred, he glanced up at his face, but he only saw pleasure. He looked back down. The outer covering had peeled back to reveal a smooth head, which looked much closer in texture to what Aghurlal was used to. He reached out with one delicate finger to touch at it - and judging by the way Thancred shuddered, it felt good.

In all honesty, Aghurlal was quite content to keep this up for the forseeable future. Thancred was making the most endearing faces - keening and rolling his hips in an effort to get more, turning his gaze on Aghurlal in an effort to solicit sympathy. Yet Aghurlal met him with a simple smirk, his fingertips staying light on his twitching length.

Eventually, Thancred seemed to have enough, because he made a sudden effort to try and pin Aghurlal to the ground. But Aghurlal was stronger in a flat-out wrestling match - he abandoned Thancred's cock, gripping him by the shoulders and hoisting them both upright again.

"Now, now." Aghurlal nuzzled his nose against Thancred's. "Did I say I was done exploring?"   
Thancred  _ blushed _ and shook his head, his lips parted.   
That reaction actually gave Aghurlal pause, and he loosened his grip. "Is that alright? I'd like to continue, if I may."   
"Twelve, Aghurlal, that's-- that's  _ more _ than alright."   
"...are you  _ enjoying _ this?"   
" _ No _ , it's terrible," said Thancred, sarcasm dripping from his voice - and if there was any doubt as to the flippancy of his statement, the arousal underlying his tone would put rest to it. "Perhaps a man needs a rest from making his own decisions every now and again, that's all."   
"Well, then, I shall take my liberty to explore your person," Aghurlal hummed, reassured that Thancred was enjoying himself.

With one of his hands, he held Thancred's wrists back behind his back. With the other, he went back to teasing his cock. Now, Thancred could barely stop himself from moaning aloud as Aghurlal tickled his fingers up the underside of his length, stroking his tip sparingly between finger and thumb - his cheeks were flushed deeply once more as he began to leak pre, and Aghurlal didn't wish to keep himself from kissing them.

"You're doing  _ wonderfully _ ," Aghurlal purred, and that earned him another shiver out of Thancred. "I think you might have earned yourself a reward of some sort, don't you?"   
"Ah…" Thancred arched his back. "I'd like that."   
"What would you like, hmm?"   
"Oh, you spoil me." Thancred licked his lips. "I don't suppose one of us could penetrate the other?"   
"Mm, you could penetrate me, if I wanted you to." Aghurlal caught Thancred's lower lip between his teeth, then let it go. "Quite literally. You'll find it's impossible to part my scales if I don't wish you to."

There was a little more to it than that, but in essence, that was the fact of it. Aghurlal switched their positions, straddling Thancred's lap, and - still pinning the hyur's hands back - moved up to--

"Wait," said Thancred, and Aghurlal looked at him.

"What's wrong?"   
"Nothing's wrong at all. Just-- ah, let go of me, for a moment?"

Aghurlal released his hands, and Thancred squirmed out from under him, going for his bag. A few moments later and he'd taken out a tiny wooden box, no more than the size of his palm; inside of it were odd little discs of translucent material.   
"As I said, I  _ am _ very careful." He pressed the thing to the tip of his own cock, then-- oh, rolled it down, so it covered his length in its entirety. "Of all the things I learned since arriving in Ul'dah, the existence of these alchemical wonders is among my favourite. Prevention of disease  _ and _ pregnancy. I'm not quite ready to be a father; are you?"   
"Ha, no." Aghurlal's cheeks flushed; this hadn't even occurred to him as a risk. But he didn't let his embarrassment overwhelm him. "Are you ready to continue?"   
"As ever," Thancred replied, settling back into place and voluntarily placing his hands back behind his back with a grin.

Aghurlal returned the expression and sidled back over, his knees settling either side of Thancred's legs and his hand coming to grip Thancred's wrists once more. He knew better than to try immediately for penetration, and he was sure the teasing involved in persuading his decidedly  _ auri _ genitals to open up would be to Thancred's tastes, given how well he'd responded to it so far. He lowered his hips so Thancred's tip rested against his entrance, then slowly rolled them forward, just stroking the very tip along his lips.

"Ha!" Thancred trembled - even with the sensations no doubt dulled by the barrier, it was enough to make him shiver. "Ah-- gods' spit, Aghurlal..."  
Aghurlal wet his lips with his tongue. He could feel his scales parting fully, ready to accept Thancred - faster than usual, too, no doubt owing to the attentions Thancred had paid him already. "Is there a problem?"  
Thancred let out a whine, then a shaky laugh. "No, I suppose there isn't."

Luckily for Thancred, Aghurlal grew tired of the teasing first. More or less as soon as he felt ready, he was lining himself up to press down onto his partner's length. Keeping Thancred's hands pinned back as he did so, Aghurlal slowly lowered his hips - and Thancred made the most  _ gorgeous _ sound as his cock sunk into Aghurlal's depths.

In a lapse of concentration brought on by this new sensation of delightful fullness, Aghurlal let Thancred's wrists free. He barely registered it until he realised that Thancred's arms were around him, instead - hugging tight and bringing Aghurlal close for-- for--

Oh, clever man. He hadn't forgotten the biting thing after all.

Aghurlal's back arched towards Thancred as the hyur took control of the scenario once again. He gripped Aghurlal around the waist and - not afraid to be a little rough with him, it seemed - flipped him onto his back so he had more leverage with his hips. With his neck bitten firm and Thancred thrusting into him at a fast, hard pace, it wasn't long at all before Aghurlal started to feel a peak well up inside of him.

He chanced to open his eyes… and found Thancred staring intensely at him, pupils full and brow furrowed with affection. Aghurlal's breath caught in his throat. He was unable to look away even if he'd wanted to - he didn't think he'd ever seen such a sweet expression on Thancred's face before…

Thancred's rhythm changed. It got slower but deeper, his hands now finding places to hug rather than hold. Their lips came together - a passionate kiss full of desperation and want… and, nose overwhelmed with Thancred and tongue singing with Thancred and  _ Thancred Thancred Thancred-- _

The Warrior of Light cried Thancred's name as he came.

Thancred, mere moments later, returned the favour.

They broke the kiss after a while, and lay there together, panting and boneless. Eventually, after not as long as Aghurlal would have liked, Thancred stirred; withdrew from the hug, put his hand to the base of his cock and pulled back carefully. Aghurlal watched as he removed the rubber, tied it off, then pulled his shirt back on over his head before taking a washcloth from one of his discarded belt-pouches.

Aghurlal rolled onto his side, then sat up. Gods, that was… well, as good as he'd been lead to believe, really. Maybe slightly better.

He realised after a while that Thancred was still sat with his back facing to Aghurlal, over by the entrance of the tent; now sitting still, apparently having finished washing himself. Aghurlal went over and wrapped his arms around him from behind - earning enough of a jump to tell him that Thancred's mind had been elsewhere.

"Come now," Aghurlal said, "I do hope you aren't having a sexuality crisis on me."  
"Heh," forced Thancred, and Aghurlal knew his joke had missed its mark.  
"Sorry," he said, quieter. Then gave a tighter hug.

After a few moments, Thancred began to relax.

More time passed. He began to return the hug.

They stayed like that while the sun set - then got dressed once more, just in time for the miqo'te scholar to return and notify them that the way forward was clear. Although Thancred was the one with the knack for poetry, Aghurlal couldn't help but note the parallels - and wondered with a smile as he packed up the camp, afterglow still springing his step, whether this particular adventure would find its way into Thancred's songs ere long.


End file.
